Sweet Sixteen

There are many perks to being a youth minister's wife. One of which is watching our students grow up. We have been serving at Union Hill for 5 years and its amazing to see awkward teenagers grow-up into Godly, self-sufficient adults.

Recently, we have had many students turn 16. Its so fun to watch these students as their "big" day arrives. They anxiously talk about taking the driver's test and whether or not they will get a car right away. The girls, of course, are more worried about the outfit they will wear for their picture. I mean, you have to look good because you have to tote that picture around for 4 years! :)

While watching these students, it has allowed me to reminisce some about when I was 16. It seems like it was such a long time ago...before bills and responsibilities, before heartache and hardships. I look back and see myself as a young and naive, wanting to seek approval from my peers, but at the same time from the Lord. I remember trying figure everything out and I wanted to discover the purpose God had for me.

There are some instances that I wish I could go back and ask for a "do-over," but I understand that those circumstances have shaped me into the woman I am now. As I think about wanting a couple of do-overs, I am reminded of a song that I learned as a child that proves that no matter how long our lists of do-overs may be, He never gives up on us.

He's still working on me,
To make me what I ought to be.
It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars,
The sun, and Earth, and Jupiter and Mars.
How loving and faithful He must be.
He's still working on me.

It blows my mind that as I sit here wanting a do-over, He remains faithful no matter what. And, in a sense, He has already granted me a do-over--and its the only one that really matters.